Belgium
Support for Mine Action
In 2022, Belgium contributed approximately €2.9 million (US$3 million) in mine action funding to four countries.[1] Belgium’s mine action funding in 2022 decreased by 14% compared to the previous year.
Belgium also provided technical support on explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) to the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), and through the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) contributed to the UNMAS advisory team on EOD and improvised explosive device (IED) threat mitigation.
In 2022, Belgium contributed to several humanitarian funds including for Afghanistan, Nigeria, Ukraine, and Yemen, out of which some mine action activities were funded.[2]
Contributions by recipient: 2022[3]
|
|
Recipient |
Sector |
Amount (€) |
Amount (US$) |
|
Syria |
Clearance, risk education, victim assistance |
1,250,000 |
1,316,750 |
|
|
Iraq |
Clearance, risk education, victim assistance |
1,000,000 |
1,053,400 |
|
|
Angola and Cambodia* |
Clearance |
633,000 |
666,802 |
|
|
Total |
- |
2,883,000 |
3,036,952 |
|
*The amount provided to each country was not disaggregated by the donor.
Mine action assistance approach
A 2021 document outlining Belgium’s approach to mine action lists five cross-cutting aspects to determine funding allocations: humanitarian needs and impact assessment; adherence to relevant international frameworks by the potential recipient; national ownership; integration of mine action activities into broader humanitarian, peacebuilding, and sustainable development efforts; and convergence with Belgium’s international and development priorities.[4]
Five-year support to mine action
In 2018–2022, Belgium’s funding to mine action totaled more than €16.4 million ($18.6 million). This is almost double the €8.3 million ($10.3 million) contributed during the previous five-year period, from 2013–2017.
Summary of contributions: 2018–2022[5]
|
Year |
Amount (€) |
Amount (US$) |
% change from previous year (US$) |
|
2022 |
2,883,000 |
3,036,952 |
-14% |
|
2021 |
2,990,000 |
3,537,170 |
-21% |
|
2020 |
3,936,653 |
4,491,721 |
+5% |
|
2019 |
3,815,161 |
4,270,691 |
+30 |
|
2018 |
2,790,000 |
3,296,943 |
+270 |
|
Total |
16,414,814 |
18,633,477 |
N/A |
Note: N/A=not applicable.
[1] Average exchange rate for 2022: €1=US$1.0534. United States (US) Federal Reserve, “List of Exchange Rates (Annual),” 9 January 2023.
[2] Belgium Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2022), Form I. See, Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Database.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Kingdom of Belgium, Federal Public Service, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, “Belgian Approach to Mine Action,” 2021.
[5] See previous Support for Mine Action country profiles. ICBL-CMC, “Country Profiles: Belgium,” undated.